Cannavale on Pre-Existing Comorbidities and Remission Rates in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Kimberly Cannavale, MPH, Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente, discusses findings from a retrospective cohort study of the impact of pre-existing comorbidities on remission rates in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

At the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, investigators presented findings from the retrospective analysis which evaluated the impact of comorbidities on the likelihood of achieving complete and clinical remissions in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. The study utilized the Charlson’s comorbidity index (CCI) to evaluate whether pre-existing comorbid conditions affected treatment outcomes in this patient population.

This investigation identified patients who were diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer at a large healthcare delivery system in the United States or via chart review. These patients were assessed using CCI to review a 12-month window prior to patient diagnosis. Treatment responses were ascertained through a combination of physician assessment, CA125 value, imaging, and chart review.

The analysis showed that patients with 1 or more comorbid conditions, as categorized by the CCI, had a lower likelihood of achieving complete remissions compared with patients who had no comorbid conditions, Cannavale reports.

A total of 799 patients were included in the study. In the crude analysis, those with a CCI score of 1, 2, or higher had a lower likelihood of achieving complete remission compared with those with a CCI score of 0. In the multivariable analysis, patients with a CCI score of 1, 2, or higher, again, had a lower likelihood of achieving complete remission compared with those who had a CCI score of 0. Similar results were observed for clinical remissions, although the associations were slightly weaker, investigators reported.

Furthermore, Cannavale reaffirms that in the multivariable analysis, the presence of 1 or more comorbid conditions was associated with a reduced likelihood of achieving complete remission. Similar results were observed for both clinical and complete remissions, she concludes.